The families have known one another for years; their children grew up together. Dr. Astley recalled that Lauren and Nate shared many experiences with each other's families.

Following the reading of the verdict, Astley embraced Nate's parents, Beth and Tomo Fujita. Astley said it was a shared moment of empathy and compassion.

"I was dealing with my own loss of my daughter, and also Nate," said Astley. "I wanted to be with them -- share the pain that we've all experienced in different ways in this tragedy and crime."

Asked whether he felt a measure of comfort with the guilty verdict, Astley was quick to point out that two wrongs don't make a right.

"There isn't a day I don't dwell on it and sob about it," he said. "People who are dangerous need to be away from others. It does not remove the fact that Lauren is gone."

He said he hopes that Fujita will find ways to not only help himself, but help others. Astley is making part of his mission to focus on the issue of domestic violence.

It's only in hindsight, says Astley, that he is now able to connect the dots and see there were warning signs along the way.

"There were a number of warning signs of anger,” he said. But Astley said he chalked much of it up to an 18-year-old boy just being shy.

Astley believes schools should play a larger role in helping educate young people about domestic violence and relationships.

He's hoping he can turn his aching heart into good, preventative action for other young people.

Until that healing takes place, the pain of losing his only daughter is very real every single day, such as the instantaneous moments of grief that overwhelm him when seeing the simplest things like his daughter's car keys.

Astley takes comfort in listening to Lauren's singing, forever and always on his IPhone -- the words to the song "Breathless" so poignant now.